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Coronavirus pandemic
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Amid ‘alarming signs’ of coronavirus rebound, Hong Kong readies temporary testing stations, explores mandatory screenings for vulnerable groups

  • As city records 18 mostly locally transmitted new cases, temporary screening facilities to be set up in hard-hit districts including Kwai Chung, Kowloon City
  • Government also studying legal ramifications of compelling residents to take coronavirus tests in certain ‘very special circumstances’

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Hong Kong was recently hit by a third wave of coronavirus cases and is now preparing for a potential fourth. Photo: Felix Wong
Victor Ting,Kathleen MagramoandKanis Leung
Compelling high-risk groups to take a mandatory coronavirus test and setting up temporary screening stations in hard-hit areas are key planks of a strategy to stem a potential fourth wave of Covid-19, it emerged on Thursday, as the city logged 18 new cases.

Health officials warned of an alarming coronavirus rebound, saying the number of local cases had more than quadrupled to 35 this week, from just eight the week before, while untraceable infections jumped from three to 12 in the same period.

“In recent days, there has been a deteriorating trend … and alarming signs of a rebound in the epidemic,” Director of Health Dr Constance Chan Hon-yee said, adding that many new patients had a high viral load and were therefore more infectious.

Hong Kong health authorities are exploring the legal ramifications of enforcing compulsory Covid-19 testing in certain rare cases. Photo: Winson Wong
Hong Kong health authorities are exploring the legal ramifications of enforcing compulsory Covid-19 testing in certain rare cases. Photo: Winson Wong

Earlier in the day, Secretary for Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee revealed the government was studying proposals to create a legal framework to compel people to get tested for Covid-19, without specifying whether the law would apply to select groups or all residents.

“If there is a mandatory measure to require people to participate in the tests, we will have a better grasp of the relevant data for us to roll out effective measures. Therefore, this compulsory measure is necessary,” she said.

“We understand some people may have concerns about this, but if some people who need to undergo the tests fail to do so, they will hinder our work safeguarding public health.”

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